‘Cars set to become extensions of living space’

Similarly, the concept of the car is rapidly changing as the boundaries between lifestyle and automobiles intertwine, hence the concept behind Hyundai Motor Company’s vision for future mobility.

The vehicle manufacturer recently illustrates its innovative vision of how cars of the future will become individualised living spaces with the introduction of its ‘Style Set Free’ innovation. The ‘Style Set Free’ demonstrates its customer-centric approach to future of mobility.

Already, people personalise their living spaces with a multitude of gadgets and different forms of technology. This is something everyone does according to their own tastes and sensibilities.

The innovation according to Hyundai is about creating a ‘perfect space’ inside one’s car, and asks what it takes to create such a space.

With ‘Style Set Free’, the auto manufacturer considers how future vehicles will offer car enthusiasts more freedom to design their vehicles in a way similar to how people design their homes, and shape their automobiles the way they do their lifestyles. The company envisions that interiors will be customisable with organic materials.

Speaking on the concept, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Hyundai Motor Company, Wonhong Cho, said in the future, self-driving technology in electrified vehicles will eliminate the need for drivers. This won’t be a luxury, it will be an absolute necessity. “‘Style Set Free’ aims to provide a unique in-car experience that no other automakers have offered so far, but one that customers have been looking for.”

Hyundai will leverage data generated from smart vehicles to launch an open ecosystem that enables a host of ICT subsystems to create a structural flow of public data transmission between vehicles and the environment in which vehicles operate. This will facilitate the widespread adoption of connected cars, further cementing Hyundai’s role in the future mobility field.

Hyundai will showcase the next steps of its ‘Style Set Free’ concept, which anticipates the revolution of the mobility experience through full customisation, with interactive displays at the 2019 Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA). The 2019 IAA takes place from 10 to 22 September.

The concept is based on future automotive developments, like autonomous driving. It allows users to fully customise and upgrade their driving environment to create their own life space inside their vehicle through upgradeable products and services. In the future, Hyundai intends to build a self-customising marketplace similar to an app store. Here, customers will have the freedom to select software and hardware for their vehicles to upgrade them according to their needs. With Style Set Free, the company demonstrates its customer-centric approach to future mobility.

Meanwhile, the 2020 Hyundai Kona, Santa Fe, and Tucson were all awarded five-Star overall safety ratings, the highest available overall safety rating issued by the government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), as a facet of its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Kona, Santa Fe and Tucson exemplified exceptional safety in crashworthiness and collision avoidance—due to the new Hyundai SmartSense safety technologies available in these 2020 models.

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), uses the car’s front-facing camera and radar to help detect an imminent collision and avoid impact or minimize damage by braking autonomously. Sensing road markings, Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) helps to prevent accidental lane departure and may automatically steer the car if required.

Driver Attention Warning (DAW) monitors ones’ driving patterns—detecting drowsy or inattentive driving. Once detected, it alerts the driver with a sound cue and warning message on the instrument panel. Additional safety technologies in these vehicles include Blind Spot Collision Warning (BCW) and Rear Cross Traffic Warning (RCCW).

NHTSA conducts vehicle testing and ratings each year to give consumers information about crashworthiness, collision avoidance and other areas that improve the safety of new vehicles.

Hyundai praised NHTSA, IIHS, and the automotive industry for working together to make rear seat reminder systems standard features on new vehicles in the future. Making these systems standard equipment will help prevent child deaths from heatstroke in vehicles. In August 2019, Hyundai announced that they will be making Rear Occupant Alert (ROA) door-logic system standard on most new vehicles by 2022.